BENGALURU: A 63-year-old woman, who has been a drug peddler for years, has been arrested by the police. The police are strongly suspecting that even policemen are hand-in-glove with her, and are investigating their probable involvement.
During the arrest, police recovered 40 kilograms ganja, Rs 33 lakh in cash, and around eight weapons, including machetes. Following a tip-off, the Byatarayanapura police raided one of the many houses owned by the drug peddler, Kaali Mehrunissa. It was here that 40 kilograms of ganja was found. The house was rented out to a relative of Mehrunissa and another tenant, who disclosed her identity to the police after being arrested.
After learning that the police were searching for her, Mehrunissa fled Bengaluru and was on the run across several states - escaping first to Gujarat, then moving on to Uttar Pradesh, before making her way to Nagpur in Maharashtra. It was here, after days of evading arrest, that the law finally caught up with her.
On Thursday evening, the police arrested her and later sought court approval to search her house in Byatarayanapura. Mehrunissa, who had stashed a huge amount of cash there, tried to outsmart the police by claiming that she had lost the keys and also insisted that they search other houses that she owns. The police, however, searched the house to find Rs 33 lakh in cash and eight weapons.
Since the police have credible information that the woman has been running a drug business for several years now, and has ensured that she does not come under police radar, senior officers are suspecting the role of insiders, a police officer said.
Mehrunissa, who lived with her husband and children, owned several properties. Her family knew about her illegal activities, and she had even told her husband not to work because she wanted to earn the title of ‘breadwinner’, police added.
Recently, she also bought a pre-owned luxury car for Rs 35 lakh and purchased land in Byatarayanapura, police said, adding that they will also probe the authenticity of the land purchase, as both Mehrunissa and her husband do not have any known sources of income.
The Byatarayanapura police, who are investigating the case, are yet to determine where she sourced the drugs from.